Explore Featured Degree Options in Education

The online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education prepares you to become a transformative K–12 teacher. Through live online classes and enriching field experiences in your community, you can earn your MAT in less than 18 months without relocating.

Vanderbilt University's Peabody College offers an online Master of Education in human development counseling with a specialization in school counseling for students interested in becoming school counselors and making a meaningful difference in K–12 settings.

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Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Vermont

Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 10/31/2016)

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Prerequisite Coursework in Vermont

As in most states, in Vermont, teacher education programs are a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The coursework often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, teaching methodology and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. Fieldwork includes observing classrooms, student teaching or completing an internship.

A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for teachers in all states, including Vermont. Some states also have undergraduate credit hour requirements for teachers seeking certification in specific specialty areas. Vermont does not list specific course or credit hour requirements, but every college or university teacher preparation program will have requirements of its own. Contact your teacher preparation program or the Department of Education for more information. Vermont requires at least 12 consecutive weeks of student teaching.

Required Tests for Vermont

In Vermont, teachers are required to pass the relevant Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators tests and Praxis II content tests. A full list of tests required by subject area can be found on the State of Vermont Agency of Education website.

Initial Teaching Certifications

Teachers in Vermont start out with a Level I Professional Educator’s License, which is valid for three years and may be renewed if the applicant is not recommended for endorsement to Level II.

Teachers are eligible for a Level II Professional Educator’s License, renewable every five years, once they have: taught for three years with a Level I License; completed three credits or 45 hours of professional learning; documented a self-assessment in relation to the Core Teaching Standards and Progressions or the Core Leadership Standards; and provided documentation of any valid licenses or credentials required.

You may also be able to earn your Vermont teaching credential through interstate reciprocity if you already have a valid teaching certificate or credential from another state.

Earn recognition of your ability to develop and deliver a memorable teaching experience when you receive a premier certificate from Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, in association with HarvardX, upon successful course completion.

Alternative Certification in Vermont

Individuals wishing to teach in the state of Vermont who has a bachelor’s degree in an area other than education and have not earned a teaching certificate can yet receive an alternative teaching certificate. The State of Vermont Agency of Education has developed an alternate licensing route called License by Evaluation or Peer Review, in which applicants submit their qualifications to a review panel that determines whether or not the applicant meets requirements for licensure based on evidence of competence, preparation, and experience.

Vermont Teacher Certification Information & Links

Transferring Your Certification

Certification Reciprocity in Vermont

The State of Vermont Agency of Education accepts teaching credentials from other states through interstate reciprocity. Contact the agency in regards to your particular situation, and see the Teach.com reciprocity page for more information.

Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Vermont

Vermont Teaching Jobs

The State of Vermont Agency of Education recommends that teachers search for employment in Vermont schools through Vermont Education Jobs, which is powered by SchoolSpring, a nationwide network of websites advertising school job postings. Listings are updated each day, and job-seekers can search for positions by region and teaching specialty.

Vermont Teacher Salary and Incentives

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average yearly salary for Vermont teachers as of 2013 was $52,526 – 24th highest among states in the nation. Teachers in Vermont are paid according to district-wide salary schedules that vary compensation by experience and educational attainment.

Vermont Teacher Shortage Areas

A teacher shortage occurs when there are not enough teachers in key subject areas, which has been partly caused by years of teacher layoffs during the Great Recession, a growing student population and fewer people entering teacher preparation programs, according to the Learning Policy Institute.

The following is a list of teacher shortage areas in Vermont for the 2016-17 school year as reported by the U.S. Department of Education. ( see page 65)

Health Education

Library Media Specialist

Principal

Foreign Language-Spanish

Financial Aid in Vermont

Educators in Vermont who wish to pursue their Master’s in Teaching but lack the financial means to do so may want to consider applying for private scholarships, such as The Roothbert Fund, which provides grants for undergraduate or graduate study to candidates “motivated by spiritual values.” Vermont residents are also eligible for the TEACH Grant, which offers financial aid to students in return for service teaching in high-needs schools.

Career Advancement

Professional Development for Vermont Teachers

The State of Vermont Agency of Education offers professional development opportunities through the Vermont Professional Learning Network, which is currently organizing Collaborative Learning Groups by region. Groups will include face-to-face meetings, virtual meetings, and a showcase event.

Utilizing these assets can allow teachers to develop their own educational plans while continuing their employment at Vermont schools.

Benefits of a Master's Degree in Vermont

Teachers with a master's degree in the field of education can earn a higher salary than teachers without a master’s degree. Teachers with this higher level of education are also more likely to be offered positions that advance their careers.

Explore Featured Program Options in Education

The online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares you to become a transformative K–12 teacher. Through live online classes and enriching field experiences in your community, you can earn your MAT in less than 18 months without relocating.

The 8-week Teaching and Learning Strategies for Higher Education online short course is delivered by Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, in association with HarvardX. Students in this course will engage deeply with the most relevant research on effective teaching methods in the higher education context, while refining their own practices, portfolio, and teaching philosophy.

Vanderbilt University's Peabody College offers an online Master of Education in human development counseling with a specialization in school counseling for students interested in becoming school counselors and making a meaningful difference in K–12 settings.